Brazil, with goals from Neymar, Vinicius, the first to score with the absolute, Coutinho and Richarlison, defeated this Thursday with authority 4-0 a Chilean team that is very close to saying goodbye to the World Cup in Qatar.
Tite’s team, already qualified for the World Cup for a few days, resolved the match in the last minutes of the first half, with a penalty converted by Neymar and a goal by Vinicius that was born in a mistake by Claudio Bravo.
In a Maracana in effervescence, Coutinho, who had come off the bench for Lucas Paquetá, put the lace to the Red also from the penalty spot in the 72nd minute. Richarlison would put the fourth in the 91st.
Brazil, absolute leader of the South American qualifiers, remains undefeated, with thirteen wins and three draws, and will play the last day against a Bolivia without options, in La Paz.
Chile, which at no time showed signs of getting something positive from Brazilian lands, will try the miracle of qualifying for the playoffs at home against Uruguay, which tonight beat Peru 1-0 and closed its direct ticket to Qatar.
The two teams started biting in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil only needed thirty seconds for Antony, who was making his debut as a starter, to give the first warning to Bravo.
Chile also showed their cards from the start: order and aggressiveness, with a formation with three central defenders. His strategy also included protesting each foul to the referee, with Vidal as the leader.
Overcoming the frenzy of the first few minutes, Brazil took possession of the ball and brought Lasarte’s men into their area, who resigned themselves to hunting down a counterattack and praying on defense.
It cost Brazil to take advantage of Vinicius Junior’s good moment. The Real Madrid winger went unnoticed in the first stretch of the first half, but as the minutes went by he began to connect with Neymar.
First he left the 10 alone inside the area, but the Paris Saint-Germain player, subject to harsh criticism for his poor performance with the French team, failed to control as he usually does.
Shortly after he put a pass into space inside the area. Ney hit the bone again after a good start from Bravo.
The Brazilian harassment gained in intensity and ended up unhinging an Isla knocked down Neymar in the area five minutes before the break.
From there the storm began. Looser and with a crazed crowd, the hitherto flawless Bravo handed possession to Antony in a fatal mistake.
The Ajax winger raised his head and hit a low pass into the area. Neymar let the ball pass for Vinicius, who left Paulo Díaz behind and crossed low to put the second.
First goal of the former Flamengo player in his twelfth game with the Brazilian team and 2-0 on the scoreboard in the blink of an eye.
Chili on canvas. Only Eduardo Vargas was saved, who collapsed in the desert in search of a prize that never came.
He would achieve it from a penalty, provoked by Bravo, who swallowed Antony on the edge of the area. Coutinho, another who is in the process of redemption, certified the third for the five-time world champions in the 72nd minute.
Chile disappeared from the map. For the rest of the minutes she barely tried to avoid further humiliation. Although Richarlison’s goal was still missing in the 91st minute to end a fateful night for the Red.
